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Art of Quilting Column June 28, 2009

Black Canyon show promises quilter’s paradise

One of my favorite events occurs each summer in Montrose: the Black Canyon Quilt Show.

This year, organizers promise a main attraction that is sure to transport attendees into a Western Slope quilter’s paradise.

Vintage quilts from the 1860s through the 1970s will be showcased throughout the three-day event, July 10–12, in a “bed turning,” during which 22 heirlooms will be layered over an aspen bed crafted by a regional artist.

Each quilt will be pulled back to reveal another beneath. Experts will be on hand to recount the history of each quilt and its maker. The bed turning will be repeated several times a day at the show in the Montrose Pavilion.

The earliest quilts in the collection date to Civil War times, and two of these are made in the traditional blue and white fabrics that have resisted fading. Others include crazy quilts, album quilts, Sunbonnet Sue quilts, artistic ones from the “make do or do without” era and even an applique quilt with cattle brands from western states.

The theme of this 14th annual event is “A Quilter’s Paradise,” with more than 100 entries expected.

Three new categories offer ribbons this year:

• Exemplary hand quilting.

• Exemplary machine quilting.

• Exemplary professional machine quilting.

The latter includes both domestic machines and long-arm machines. Professional is defined as a quilter who teaches or publishes in the field, sells designs or participates in making quilts for financial gain.

In addition to official judging, the public is invited to select a favorite entry for the Viewer’s Choice award.

Hourly demonstrations will be given on such topics as purses and bags,
yo-yos, new gadgets, invisible applique, walking foot quilting, fabric painting, machine felting and flying geese patterns.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, a performance is scheduled by the Sweet Adelines.

Shopping will be available at a merchants mall and a silent auction. Proceeds from the auction will go to Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado.

Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children under 12.

The show is sponsored by Black Canyon Quilters, a combination of three local guilds — Columbine Quilters, Friendship Quilters of Western Colorado and San Juan Quilters.

I have to applaud these guild members, who do a tremendous job of staging an excellent show year after year.

With a quilter’s paradise so close, it won’t take much persuasion for most of us to be in Montrose on the weekend of July 10–12. I hope to see you there.